


Among My Shadow

by lumi_Lupes



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Breaking and Entering, Dark fic, Dubious Consent, F/M, Kidnapping, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Screwed up family, Stalking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2019-07-29 11:04:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16262906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumi_Lupes/pseuds/lumi_Lupes
Summary: For the last few years Rey feels likes she's finally found her niche in life. She has a good job, great friends and she's happy. But lately something feels off. She's always been a wary individual and tries to convince herself she's jumping at shadows and nothing more.But one night, after a long day of work, she knows she's not alone in her apartment.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MalevolentReverie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalevolentReverie/gifts).



> This is for the amazing MalevolentReverie. I've been very inspired by their writing and it has finally given me the final push to post this :) 
> 
> I've had this idea for a long time and really can't wait to get the next few chapters posted. Hope you enjoy!

Rey startled awake to the strange feeling that she was falling. Rain pattered relentlessly against the window but all else was quiet. She leaned up slowly still feeling adrenaline lingering in her tightly coiled muscles. Feeling nervous and exposed, she pulled her sheets to cover her chest. She peered around in the darkness that clung to the corners of her room. Something felt off. Actually, something has felt off for the last few months. Rey couldn’t put her finger on it but she felt paranoid. She spooked at everything ever since there was a break-in in her apartment building last week. Apparently, nothing was taken or disturbed but still, it was unsettling. 

She peered around once more before laying her head back down and drew a long sigh. She continued to watch the rain stream down her window and her eyelids grew heavy as the tension left her body. A creak in the old hardwood floors echoed through the empty room. She disregarded it her tired mind convincing herself it was just the groaning of the old building. It always creaked the most when it rained, as if it was protesting it’s aversion to the weather outside. Rey was just fading out when there was a sudden dip in the bed and before she could bolt up a large body straddled her, quickly gripping her wrists and holding her firmly in place. 

Rey thrashed and opened her mouth to scream but the intruder quickly pulled both of her wrists into one hand and latched the other around her neck. The scream died in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears. 

What the hell was going on?

“Shhh sweet, Rey,” a deep voice purred by her ear, his attempt at a soothing voice did little to comfort her. She thrashed a few more times trying to catch him by surprise but it was obviously pointless. The man that held her down must have weighed close to twice what she did. His grip tightened on her throat once more, and she stilled. As she lay there she caught a faint but very distinct scent of cedar on the intruder.

Tears began to stream down her face, against her will. She tried to hold them back and gain some sense of control of this situation but they continued to flow no matter how hard she tried. The man made a sympathetic hum and leaned down close to her face. She could feel hot puffs of air as he studied her for a moment. 

She whimpered when she felt his warm tongue start to lick up the wet tracks on her face. Once he was satisfied he nuzzled into her hair and inhaled deeply. He made a contented sound that could only be described as a cat purring. Rey began to quietly sob. 

“L-let me go…please,” she whispered, hating how pitiful her own voice sounded to her ears. She was terrified, not entirely convinced that she was trapped in some vivid nightmare. Her body quivered in fear, and deep down she knew what was happening was real. He rubbed his head against the side of her face and hummed happily. Rey tried to catch a glimpse of his face but all she could see was dark hair covering his features. 

“I can’t do that, Rey. If I do you’ll run far away and I’ll have to track you down again. It was agonizing enough, waiting for this opportunity. But I’ve learned to be patient. Couldn’t take the risk of spooking my prey before she caught wind of the trap, hm?” Rey clenched her eyes shut as she felt him roll more heavily on top of her. “But that’s not a fair description is it? You are no prey. No, you are clever and as silent as a mountain lion. You don’t take unnecessary risks, and your ears twitch at every sound. It was maddening trying to find an opportunity to get close to you - I even waited for the rain to come to you and yet you still sensed me…It makes me wonder why my Rey is always so wary in the first place.” 

Rey flinched at his words, trying to keep the old memories at bay. He held very still for a moment obviously staring at her. She could feel the weight of his gaze as if it was something tangible weighing heavily upon her.

“You always sleep so deep when it rains…it’s like you’re taken somewhere else,” he said in a low whisper. Rey tried not to think of what was happening but couldn’t escape the moment as she felt the man make a subtle shift with his hips. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt something hard pressing into her. In that moment it was obvious what this depraved individual wanted to take from her. Her body tensed in response, praying to any God that would listen that the worst wouldn’t happen to her tonight. She’d rather die.

He continued on in a casual tone, as if he was simply speaking to an old friend. “You know all of the cleverest females are elusive. That is why they are the best choice for a mate. That’s how the strongest species have survived for millennia by seeking out these extraordinary individuals to continue on their lineage.” He paused again with a subtle roll of his hips. Rey clenched her eyes tightly, every muscled rigid. 

“No one has ever caught you have they, Rey? Well, until now that is…” He punctuated the last statement with a playful nip to her ear. “Mhhmm... Don’t worry sweetheart. I’ll take such good care of you.” Silence reigned in her apartment once more; only the pattering of the rain hitting her window could be heard. The hand that held her throat loosened and began to softly caress her skin.

Soft circles over and over. 

Rey was unsure how long he silently pet her when she suddenly felt wetness hitting her cheek. Her first thought was that the roof was leaking again but when she heard an odd catch in his voice, she was distracted from those thoughts. 

“Oh, I can’t believe I finally have you, I’m so happy!” He bent down once more to nuzzle her enthusiastically and she was horrified when she realized he was crying. 

Clearly something was wrong with this man. 

“Get off of me!” Rey screeched.  
He quickly tightened his grip on her and to Rey’s horror bit the back of her neck. Her scream was quickly swallowed by her horrified gasp. 

“Now hush Rey. I will not hurt you intentionally but I can make no promises if you injure yourself by fighting me.” Rey stilled and waited as she felt him lift some of his weight off of her. He reached for something behind him and brought it in view. It was a rope that he was quickly wrapping around her wrist. Rey whimpered and tried to jerk her hand away but he held it steady and began to attach both of her wrists together. Rey started to sob at the reality of what was happening to her. 

“Don’t be scared, Rey. Just know that it kills me to do this to you but when I know you’re safe and can’t run away from me I promise I’ll untie you, okay? I want My Girl to be comfortable,” he said nuzzling the side of her face tenderly.  
She grew very still and this seemed to greatly please her intruder. He reached for something else and brought it back in front of her. He held it in front of her mouth, waiting expectantly. When she made no move he touched the corner of her jaw and she obediently opened. He hummed in approval before bringing the gag to her mouth. 

Rey took her chance and lunged to bite his fingers. She squeezed her teeth together and quickly tasted blood. He howled in pain and fought desperately to get her to let go. With his focus elsewhere Rey arched her back with a thrust and dislodged him.  
She got a glance of him before she brought both of her tied fists severely across his temple with as much strength as she could muster. He cried out as his body fell heavily across the bed. 

Rey jumped up and ran towards the hallway trying everything she could to get her wrists free. She growled in frustration. Nothing short of a knife was going to get these binds off of her. She quickly turned her attention to the door.  
Her bound hands fumbled with the multiple locks. Scraping and clawing urgently to get the locks to turn. She cursed; thinking how ironic it was that something that was supposed to keep her safe was to be her downfall now. Her already shaking fingers turned into violent convulsions when she heard his feet hit the floor.

She barely caught the dark mass suddenly appearing in her periphery before she abandoned the last of the locks. He was near sprinting around the corner as he charged, his long arms reaching desperately for her. She yelped and ducked into the guest bedroom. She knew she was just cornering herself, but all her instincts just told her to run. It didn’t matter where she just had to escape. 

She stopped by the window and glanced down at the empty street below. Tears filled her eyes once more when she knew she was truly trapped.

When she turned back towards the door. He was there. Standing still as a statue and looking unnervingly calm as he appraised her heaving in great lungfuls of air and quivering like a leaf. 

It was the first time she had got a good look at him. And the first thing that came to mind was that he was enormous. His form seemed to make the room smaller just by his mere presence. The second thing she noticed was that his eyes were as dark as the night and tracked every subtle movement she made.  
She had never seen this man before in her life and that was probably what scared her the most. 

How could he know her so well? 

He took a step towards her, slow and steady, as if he thought the movement would be less likely to spook her. She immediately took a step back. She cast another quick glance at the window. He abruptly halted as if reading her thoughts. 

“Rey,” he said in a warning rumble. Rey glanced back at him, locking onto his eyes that had begun to widen in panic. 

They stared at each other for an eternity. 

Both waiting for the other to make a move. Both carefully considering their options. His eyes quickly flitted to the ground that lay between them. It was the first time he had yet to take his eyes off of her. And Rey knew she had to make her decision in that moment.  


She covered her face with her arms and leapt, narrowly evading his desperate lunge for her. Glass shattered and time stopped as she flew through the air. She felt nothing. Just the sky spinning as she tumbled through the branches below. In the next moment she was on the ground looking up above her. Her heart beat wildly and her body wouldn’t move no matter how hard she tried. Only her eyes seemed to work. Although in that moment she wish they didn’t as she looked up to her apartment. The broken window held the man’s face staring down at her and when she blinked he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the lovely comments on the last chapter, they really do inspire me to write faster! :)  
> And here we go for chapter 2!

Rey was just walking her usual route when something caught her eye. In a towering maple tree sat a raven. It stared ominously down at her and appeared nothing more than a void among the bright crimson leaves. Fall had always been one of her favorite seasons but lately she found little joy in the crispness of the air, or the showers of leaves when caught by a wayward breeze. The raven continued to lock eyes with her and holding impossibly still. A shiver ran through her. 

Quickly glancing at her watch, she turned and continued on her way. Huffing in irritation, as more time had passed in her strange moment with the raven than she realized. A staring contest with a raven surely wouldn’t qualify as a justifiable excuse for showing up late for work. 

She quickly hurried towards her bus stop feeling the raven’s eyes still on her. As she rounded the corner she consulted her watch once more and in an instant she was gripped and thrown roughly against the old stone wall.

She felt dizzy from the impact on her head but her eyes quickly focused on the man in front of her. She went to scream but as before he gripped her neck and held firmly, actually feeling the air freeze in her lungs. 

It was _him_.

He stared at her for a while his eyes raking over her form from head to toe. 

“You’re wearing a dress,” he said with a cruel grin. “That makes this all so much easier.” 

“No, stop!” she managed to wheeze out. 

His other hand reached down to pull her skirt up and that’s when Rey saw that it was dripping blood from the bite wound she gave him.

“Admiring your handiwork?” Rey fervently shook her head. “It’s okay I kind of like having something from you that’s permanent…Now where were we?” He said and lunged forward and bit harshly into Rey’s neck. She screamed but he kept biting harder as blood poured from the wound. He pulled back, hungrily licking her blood from his lips. 

“Thought I’d return the favor, Sweetheart,” he said as he moved in again. Instead of going back into the gaping wound he licked a long line up her throat, effectively smearing blood everywhere. He then fell into a steady rhythm of lapping. Almost like a cat…no a dog. 

Wait. That was definitely a dog’s tongue. 

Rey bolted upright, startling the corgi that had been dutifully licking her in her nightmare. 

“Oh, BB-8 what are you doing, huh?” 

She said reaching over and scratching the dog’s head. She focused on the soft fur as the fear began to dissipate. The dog’s expression could only be described as “worried” - if dogs were capable of that expression. Rey continued to pet him, feeling the rest of her adrenaline leave her system and her heart resumed its usual beat. Each stroke reassured of where she was and helped the terrible images disappear.

She moved to get off the bed and winced when she felt a crick in her neck. Reaching back, she massaged the tender flesh gently. She must have fallen asleep in a weird position again. 

Drawing in a long breath she stood up and stretched feeling a satisfying series of pops. Content and feeling calmer, she reached back to pet the loyal corgi, who still looked a little sleepy. 

“You’re such a good boy,” Rey whispered as she stroked him once more. Her throat felt scratchy, so she left the corgi and went to the kitchen to get something to drink. Unfortunately, her thoughts returned to their usual track, try as she might to keep them at bay. 

Four months. Four months of silence and yet Rey had never felt at peace for a minute. Not when He was still out there. As time passed it felt like she could breathe again, yet she always had to check over shoulder, never went out alone at night and moved in with her best friend and his partner. For the first month, she slept in the same room as them. She tried to turn down the offer but after being woken up by vivid nightmares night after night they all but dragged her into the bed with them. Sleeping alone had simply been impossible. 

Eventually the fear eased a little and she found she could sleep with their corgi, BB-8, nestled beside her. She got a new job and was pretty happy with it. She loved her boss and her job was challenging which was a welcome distraction from the thoughts she found herself so often getting lost in. 

Occasionally she would wonder what type of person he was and how such a large man could stalk her without her noticing. She mused later on that he had striking features and long, thick hair but something had clearly been off with him. What could shape a person to become so twisted? 

No. She would not ponder on that. She was safe now and that was all that mattered. He’s probably moved on to a new target by this point. Stalkers had been known to occasionally change their focus in a blink of an eye she remembers reading in one of the many online articles about stalkers. She shook her head and focused on the day before her. 

She remembers fondly the day she was hired at her new real estate job. Leia, her new boss, was a lovely woman who was very easy to work with as long as you did things her way, which Rey learned really fast. Always eager to please, It was no surprise that all of her hard work and dedication to the job landed her as Leia’s personal assistant after only three months. Smiling to herself, It was something she took great pride in. 

Rey mindlessly went through the motions of making her oatmeal. When it was finished she ladled it into a bowl, her left arm quivering a little at the motion. The bones had healed fine but it still felt weak and awkward to use. With her right, she topped it with sliced bananas and a large handful of raspberries and settled comfortably at the kitchen table. She pulled her files off the windowsill and casually flipped through them while she finished her breakfast. Deciding she had reached a good stopping point she went back into her room. Humming to herself, she pulled her outfit that had been laid out the night before on. Her morning routine was always relatively quick. Hair, makeup, and brushing her teeth. Nodding at her acceptable appearance in the mirror, she went back out to review the rest of her files. 

She was just making her final adjustments when Finn came in rubbing his eyes, clearly just having woken up.

“Good morning, Rey. Sleep well?” he said in a groggy voice. Rey paused and then smiled at him. 

“Yes, mostly. You know BB-8 is the best bed-mate you could ask for,” she chirped. 

“Mm-hm, you say that now, but someday when you meet a strapping, young man, your opinion might change.”   
The dog in question happened to just then trot in the kitchen. Rey knelt down by him and scratched his ears. 

“No way! BB-8 is the best! No one will ever come between us!” She said as she began scratching under his chin; the dog was completely blissed out. “Isn’t that right?” BB-8 just closed his eyes as if in agreement. Finn rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, well that’s what Poe used to say before I showed up.”

“You poor thing, the utter betrayal!” 

“What? Poe wasn’t able to resist my insanely, attractive body. He is only human after all.” Rey burst out laughing. 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Poe said coming into the kitchen and sidling up beside Finn. Finn turned to him looking absolutely affronted. “If memory serves me correct, you were the one who crawled into my bed and--”

“Guys! Seriously, I just ate,” Rey said. 

“But really Rey you will never know a true good night’s sleep until someone’s sharing it with you,” Finn said jovially.   
Rey stopped laughing and was momentarily gripped by a past memory of a dark shadow looming heavily on top of her. She had never told them, or anyone for that matter, the full extent of what had transpired all those months ago. 

“Oh, Rey I’m sorry. I didn’t mean--” Finn said, breaking her out of her thoughts. Rey waved him away and put on the most convincing smile she could muster. 

“It’s fine. Anyways I’ve got to get going.” Poe glanced at the clock and back at her. 

“Isn’t it a little early? I mean I hope you’re not running out because some people have no tact but—” He said glaring at Finn. 

“No, no, nothing like that. We have a couple of big clients coming in today, so I have to make sure everything is in order before the presentation." 

“Nice. Well knock ‘em dead, Kid.” Poe said with a charming grin as Rey gathered the rest of her folders and headed towards the door. 

“Yeah, seriously, you’ll do great!” Finn said as he opened the door for her. 

“Thanks guys! I’ll probably be home a little later if things go well, so don’t wait up!” Rey said cheerily as she headed towards the elevator. 

As soon as the doors closed, her smile dropped. She clutched the folders tightly to her chest as if they could become a barrier for her. Drawing in a long breath, she steeled herself. She would not let phantoms and clinging nightmares dictate her life. 

She stepped out into the cool autumn air, feeling relieved when she saw the trees surrounding her had subtle yellow tips and not the vibrant red from her dream. Still, she walked on the very edge of the sidewalk closest to the street feeling a little safer with the extra space as she passed the old buildings on her usual trek. A crow cawed overhead and she jumped, nearly stumbling off the sidewalk and into traffic. She pushed it out of her mind and quickened her pace. Ahead she could see that there was only an old woman at the bus stop. _Thank God!_ She thought to herself.

The bus pulled up, and Rey hopped on, sitting in a back corner while quickly surveying the other passengers. Her heart startled when she saw a man with long, dark hair. When he caught her eyes he gave her a tired smile. His face was younger, and rounder, with dark bags under his eyes. Rey returned the smile, embarrassed to be caught staring. She clenched her fists annoyed at herself for being so paranoid. The bus ride was thankfully quick and it was only a short walk to the office from the stop. 

Rey let out a long sigh when she was safely inside the office doors. The doorman nodded in greeting pulling the door open for her. She immediately headed to her office and gathered the additional items needed for the presentation. 

_Today was going to be a good day._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I meant to get this out earlier but I've been having a terrible time finishing this chapter up, and it ended up going through several different versions. Good news though is chapter 4 is practically finished so Hopefully I can get that posted in the next few days :)
> 
> And thanks for all the lovely comments! You all are the best :D

Alderaan investments was a well-known and respected company to say the least. The small but sleek building was tucked in the corner of the financial district. It may not have been a skyscraper but five levels of full time staff certainly impressed Rey. Especially since it was all built from the ground up by none other than her boss, Leia. Although as time passed working for the company it came to no surprise that Leia achieved what she did. The woman was indomitable. She worked hard, was incredibly intelligent, and took absolutely no shit from anyone.

When Rey had been promoted to her personal assistant she was barely able to utter a response in her shock. But after that had worn off, she worked extra hard to impress her new boss. She arrived early and left usually when the janitor was coming in. Finn often complained that she needed to come home at a “respectable” hour when he came to pick her up from work; usually trying to mask his true grievances as a joke, so he didn’t outright say what he meant. 

But Rey knew what he was doing. What all of her friends do to avoid talking about what happened, the trauma she went through. She appreciated their concern but walking on eggshells had started to grate on her nerves as they avoided the topic at all costs. Especially since she was the victim.   
A small part of her wanted to talk about it. 

Was something wrong with her?

It felt like an impossible puzzle in the back of her mind, nagging her constantly to solve. She resolved however, that with time it would fade away into a distant memory. Until then, if she steered far away from tall strangers it was just a coincidence she told herself. 

She picked up her box from her cubicle with her documents, glancing at the elevator for a moment before turning to the stairwell. She’d take it tomorrow. She had never liked elevators and that was even before…You never knew when they could plummet.

And the stairs kept her fit, not to mention there was _never_ a line for stairs. 

She was just lugging the heavy box up the fifth stairwell when her arm twitched and gave out spilling the contents all across the floor. Rey cursed then drew a long sigh, massaging her left arm as she bent down to gather her things. _At least no one was here to see her embarrassing mishap._

Small mercies. 

When she finished she carefully hoisted the box up once more, this time putting the brunt of the weight on her right arm. 

The office was initially quiet when she came onto the floor. She always liked coming in early for the peace that came with an empty office. She could usually get more done in one hour of uninterrupted time than the rest of the day combined. 

Making her way across the large empty floor, she heard Leia’s voice before she saw her. That was surprising. Rey was sure she would have beat her this morning. Of course, it was entirely possible she never went home. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. 

She set her things down and went into the break room to make Leia some coffee. Two sugars no cream and just a dash of chocolate sauce. Rey supposed it made the black liquid more palatable. She had never been big on coffee. More of a tea girl herself. 

“Ah, good morning Rey.”  
Rey jumped, nearly spilling her hard work all over the cabinet in front of her. 

“Bit jumpy this morning huh? Sorry. I’d say that maybe you need a cup of coffee but you’re one of the weird ones who abstain from life’s elixir.” 

“I’m fine, Justin. Just didn’t hear you come in.” She glanced at him for the first time in their encounter. Analyzing him, like she always did. She’d never liked him, but didn’t know why exactly.   
He raised his hands in surrender, looking a little sheepish.

“What are you doing here at this hour anyway?” Rey said, attempting to be friendly, realizing she must have been outwardly glaring at him before. 

“Oh, I’m just working on some comps for some of our clients in New York. They’ll be in business in an hour or so and I wanted to catch them before they get too busy later on.”

“Oh, um. Good luck with that,” Rey said, picking up her cup and headed to Leia’s office. He waved lightly at her retreating form. Justin probably wasn’t really that bad of a guy, Rey mused. 

Maybe the therapist was right, that she was seeing _him_ in other men and she needed to stop projecting her fears onto other people. After that incident at the hospital, her therapist had convinced her of this and Rey tried to use her methods but it was easier said than done. 

She knew something had been off, hadn’t it? Maybe she really couldn’t trust her own judgement at the moment or her memories for that matter. When she tried to recall the details they were fuzzy and unclear, not to mention that she had also been dealing with PTSD at the time. 

Her therapist had tried to convince her she created her own negative neuro-association with elevators from her recent trauma and because of this was unable to associate with strange men positively. Maybe that was true? That wasn’t how she remembered it.

 

She had been at the hospital for a week and the doctors had informed her that she was healing nicely and could return home soon. She returned their enthusiastic smiles but as soon as they left the room tears welled up in her eyes. 

She didn’t want to go home. 

Not when he was still out there. She was so vulnerable with her broken arm and battered body.   
He wouldn’t even need _rope_ she thought as tears streamed down her face.   
The police had no leads but they kept reassuring her that they would keep looking. Which truly meant that he had escaped completely unscathed. She reflected on this for some time, bitterly stewing how horrible people often got away with heinous crimes.   
A nurse had come in interrupting her thoughts and rolled out a wheelchair to collect her. 

“Oh, my friends aren’t here yet.”

“Just following orders. Besides the lounge is a much better place to wait than this stuffy room.”

“Okay…”Rey numbly nodded and shifted to get out of the bed.   
A gentle hand gripped her shoulder. “Easy there, let me help you,” the man said.

“I’m fine,” Rey snapped. She had grown tired of being treated weak. 

“Miss, let me help you. I can’t take the risk of something happening to you. Your bones were just reset.” Rey huffed but allowed the man to help her. 

She let him take her hand to help her off the bed but gasped when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up with ease. He gently stroked her arm while he held her aloft for what couldn’t have been more than a mere moment before setting her down in the chair.   
The action was peculiar and happened so fast that Rey wasn’t sure she didn’t imagine it. Possibly an awkward attempt to soothe a patient. Did they teach nurses to do that?

Off put, she shot a glance at the nurse but he quickly moved behind her and took control of the chair. He had shaggy blond hair and dark rimmed glasses. She eased a little seeing his appearance. Quite frankly, he looked like someone who spent all their money on gaming products and binged anime on a regular basis. 

He hunched his shoulders awkwardly and avoided her eyes as they rolled out the door. Maybe he was just shy. 

The mirrored elevators shut with a heavy clang and she startled when she met his blue eyes in the reflection. She quickly looked away from his intense gaze, feeling like she had been burned.   
The elevator ride down continued to pass with terrible, awkward silence. Chancing another glance at him she physically jolted when he was still staring at her reflection… and had he moved closer? She could feel the heat from his body standing behind her. The silence was broken from the nurse’s heavy breathing, which he obviously tried to mask by inhaling through his nose.

He was failing miserably. 

Drumming her fingers on her cast as the floors passed by seemed to be an effective way to distract herself from the claustrophobia she was feeling. The ding of the doors opening couldn’t of come any sooner. She audibly sighed being out in the open once more. He was clearly oblivious to the strange tension and kept an indifferent expression as he rolled her by the waiting room with no sign of slowing. 

“Um sir—” She waved over to the room. “I thought we were going to the waiting room? My friends aren’t here yet.” 

He looked taken aback for a moment before replying. “Oh, they’re already here. Didn’t I tell you they decided to come early. I just got paged.”

“What?” They didn’t even text me yet…” Rey said reaching into her pocket to retrieve her phone, quickly scrolling through her recent texts. She was beginning to feel anxious with this nurse.

“Yeah, they said they’d pick you up in the back lot.” He said as they left through the front doors and rounded the corner. 

“Rey?” 

Rey’s head shot up to see Finn and Poe making their way over to her. The man halted abruptly, giving her whiplash. She could have sworn she heard him curse under his breath. He cleared his throat and smiled down at her. 

“See? I told you they were coming early.”  
Rey nodded, not really paying him attention as she beamed at her friends. 

“How you holding up there, Reybear?” Poe said reaching to take the handles of the wheelchair. “Hey man I got her, you uh-can let go now?”   
A muscle flexed in the nurse’s jaw. A small moment passed then he nodded as he released the handles. 

“Right…I got to get back to work anyways.”

Finn narrowed his eyes. “Where were you taking her?”

“Hm?” The man said meeting Finn’s glare.

“Just now. You were halfway down the sidewalk.”

“Oh, well I had obviously been misinformed of her drop off spot. We have a lot a people coming and going. This is a hospital after all.” He then turned on his heel and went back inside, not even leaving an opportunity for Finn to respond. 

“Wow, what a prick,” Finn muttered. 

“You can’t blame him Finn. Do you know what kind of hours those guys keep? Anyways let’s get Rey home,” Poe said as he jovially started rolling Rey towards their car. 

“Slow down, Poe! Jesus Christ, she was just in the hospital!”

“Ease up, Finny. Rey’s in no danger. Poor girl’s probably been dying to feel the lovely spring air anyway. Right. Rey?”

Rey smiled and nodded. It was true. She had forgotten that air could taste sweet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely my favorite chapter so far ;)
> 
> As always, thanks so much for all of your lovely comments! <3

“We have three new clients coming in today. All potential investors with a lot of money to work with. With any luck, they’ll be fighting over the chance for first position on this loan,” Leia said as she typed furiously on her computer.

How the woman could seamlessly multitask was beyond her. She glanced at Rey with a hint of a smile on her lips. It was rare to see her powerful boss smile, she must have been in an especially good mood today.

Rey glanced around the office while Leia was finishing her notes. Kaydel, the newest receptionist, was on the phone already. She must have arrived shortly after Rey did, most likely talking with someone on the east coast. She caught Rey’s eyes and smiled. The young girl was always a chipper morning person, fresh out of high school and eager to please. Never once had Rey heard a complaint from her on the ever increasing workload she received. 

She was actually the third receptionist hired since Rey had been here, and the newest on a very long list for receptionists who had worked with her boss over the years. Leia, clearly had very high standards and had no qualms to dismiss someone for inadequacy. Rey warmly returned her smile with a little wave. She was a nice girl, Rey thought. She should make more of an effort to get to know her. 

“This will be huge for us if any one of them agrees to our funding proposal for the Williams Apartment Complex.” Rey jumped slightly as Leia suddenly continued their former conversation. The woman must have a mind like a circuit board Rey mused as she nodded vigorously in understanding. Leia stood up abruptly and motioned for Rey to follow with an airy wave of her hand. Out of her chair in an instant, Rey trailed dutifully behind Leia’s quick gate as they entered the conference room. 

“I’m going to need you to set everything up for the presentation while I go personally to meet our first investor in the lobby in ten,” she said gesturing to the room. 

“Of course, Ms. Organa,” Rey said already getting to work on organizing her materials. 

“Come now Rey, we’ve been through this. You’ve worked with me for three months now, I think you’ve earned the right to drop unnecessary titles.”

“Of course, Leia,” Rey smiled warmly at her boss. 

“Good, I’m going to go get a couple things from my office and then meet him in the lobby,” She said as she left the conference room. Rey quickly busied herself with making sure everything was presentable. She set the files on the table and arranged them in an attractive fan shape. Satisfied, She turned on the laptop and pulled up the power presentation. She opened the file for this investor. He had only two houses in his portfolio, one being a country property. 

Odd. 

It was in a nearby county but Rey knew enough that country properties were terrible investments in general. Slow to get rent or sales alike as they were so far removed from the city. 

His name was Mathew Hill. 

She had never heard of him, but Leia had assured her that he was a well to do investor. Perhaps he was a stock broker looking to diversify with real estate? This was a generic file after all so it was entirely possible that those details wouldn’t be listed here. 

She had just barely finished perusing it when she heard voices approaching. She could make out the distinct lilt of Leia’s voice but not the deep rumble of what must be their new client. Rey glanced over her notes for a final reminder before they came in. Feeling especially anxious, She clenched her fists a few times attempting to dispel her nervous energy. This was the first time Leia allowed her to take point in the presentation. She had to get this perfect. 

The door handle turned and Rey drew in a deep breath, preparing herself to make a good impression. 

Her heart stopped. 

She was sure of it when she saw her literal nightmare walk into the room. Instead of the dark nondescript clothes he had worn the night she met him he was wearing a well-tailored suit that made his massive frame appear even more broad than it already was.   
With her heart frozen she was unsure of how to interpret the reality before her. She was paralyzed, mind unable to make a decision of the best course of action to take with this man, especially with her boss being right next to him looking completely at ease. His eyes focused intently on her and held her in place with their dark intensity. 

Leia’s warm smile dropped when she caught sight of Rey’s expression. She glanced back and forth between her new client staring down Rey. 

She shifted, looking a little uncomfortable with the scene unfolding. Ever the gracious host and intent on keeping appearances, Leia walked towards Rey and gestured towards the man.

“Rey, this is Mr. Ren—” 

Rey quickly stumbled back, finally able to will her body to move and pointed a shaking finger at the man before her with tears in her eyes.   
“T-that’s him Leia-that’s the man that broke into my house!” Rey dashed over to the phone behind her never taking her eyes off of him. “We need to call the Police! Leia, get away from there it’s not safe!” 

Leia's expression grew bored, completely indifferent to Rey’s hysterics. Rey picked up the phone but frowned when she realized there was no dial tone. Leia approached her fidgeting in her purse for something. 

“Come now Rey, this is the new client I was telling you about—"

“Leia!! Have you been listening to me?! He’s the one who’s been stalking me!” She said as tears streamed down her face when he started to come towards her. “Please do something,” she said as her body began trembling. 

“Oh, I will. Don’t worry about that.”  
She pulled out a Taser and abruptly pointed it at the man. He held his hands up looking clearly amused at the situation. “Is what she saying true?”

The man locked eyes with Rey and smiled wolfishly. 

“Of course it is…Mother.”

Before Rey could register the disbelief from the moment, Leia had turned around and in a flash and intense pain Rey crumpled to the floor with a pitiful whimper.  
She couldn’t move, barely holding onto consciousness as the man knelt before her. He delicately stroked her hair and smiled sweetly at her. 

“I still think there could have been a better way to do this, Mother,” he said scooping her up into his arms, taking such care as if she had been made of glass. 

“Really? Like break into her house and terrify her half to death and then let her get away? Not the smartest there, Son,” Leia said putting the taser back into her purse. He sneered at her words, obviously biting back a scathing response. His furrowed brows relaxed when he turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. 

“I…she’s so small and skinny though. Taser’s hurt more,” He said as he intently studied her limp form, inspecting for any damage.

“She’s fine. Police use them all the time and no one dies. It’s literally only a moment of pain and she’s a young woman. She’ll bounce back in no time,” she said half exasperated. 

“I suppose so,” he said nuzzling her.

His mother rolled her eyes. “Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

“Oh, um I wouldn’t say that... Of course not…” His oddly content smile made her shiver despite her body being numb. 

“Bring her over here. You don’t want her making a fuss in the car.”   
Rey could hear the shake of a pill bottle and whimpered when Leia leaned over her, having the same expression she wore when she was analyzing property comps. Cold and detached. 

“Lean her up and open her mouth.”   
He quickly readjusted her so her back was leaning against his chest. Her head lazily lolling to the side. With a gentle hand he straightened her and pressed on the corners of her jaw. 

“Open up, Sweetheart.”   
Rey’s weak body had no choice but to acquiesce as Leia popped the pill to the back of her throat and clamped Rey’s mouth shut. Rey tried to summon the strength to spit it out but soon realized it had dissolved. 

“What a good girl you are,” the man beamed down at her.   
Rey felt a fog settle over her mind. The heavy mist dulling her senses and washing out the environment. At least now, she could convince her self she was in a nightmare when the horrific images faded away into the dark.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wakes up in a rather well decorated room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you All for the great comments! You feed my writing soul! :)

Rey’s eyes shot open. Her body already innately knowing something was wrong. Groaning, she groggily sat up in a large bed with a pretty green floral pattern on it. She placed a hand beside her to steady her swaying body, noticing immediately that it was warm. Her arms felt tingly and heavy as she numbly tried to feel around. Where was she? 

The room was large and well furnished by someone who had a taste for the Victorian. It clearly was the same style as—  
The door silently opened and _He_ came into the room. He was completely silent, she only noticed him from the movement that caught her eye. When he locked eyes with her his face instantly broke into a smile. A smile, that was far too friendly coming from someone she had never really met. As he came towards her she noticed he was carrying a water bottle. He set it on the small table by the doorway. 

“How’s my sleepy girl? You’ve been out for quite some time.”   
Rey looked away, still feeling dizzy and trying desperately not to panic. He sat easily down beside her, his large form automatically dipping the bed. He reached for her and she jerked backwards, scooting clumsily until her back hit the headboard. 

He sighed. “Rey, you have no reason to be afraid of me so don’t be,” he said reaching for her again, although slower this time. Rey bit back a scoff and held still as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“See Rey, I promised, no ropes,” he said motioning to her wrists. “You’ll be free to wander as you like through my house.” He scooted closer, twining her hair through his fingers. 

“How are you feeling?” he said as he began petting her hair with gentle strokes. “Probably thirsty, I bet.” He quickly got off the bed and fetched the bottle he had brought in. He set it in her lap and sat beside her once more, although this time he was much closer, practically leaning against her.   
She saw the half-moon scar on his hand as he drummed his fingers on his thigh. It was strange to see the gnarled skin and to know she was the one who caused it. Locked in a stare with his scarred hand she didn’t notice the other hand reaching for her. 

Rey flinched. 

“I told you not to be afraid of me,” he said, irritation clearly rising in his voice. Biting her lip, Rey tried to hide her fear sensing the man’s emotions escalating. She looked towards the wall, hoping that not seeing him would keep the worst of her trembling down. Out of sight, out of mind, at least she dearly hoped so. He stared at her for a long moment. The silence was agonizing as he continued to scrutinize her.

“Stop shaking,” He commanded. Her lip began to quiver, as he loomed further over her. 

“I’ve never hurt you. You have no right to be afraid of me!”

Tears started to stream down her face. Suddenly he snarled and stood up abruptly, throwing a nearby vase at the wall. Rey whimpered in fear as he continued to yell and thrash random objects in the room. Rey clenched her eyes shut trying to drown out the ensuing chaos. Suddenly he was in front of her, his massive hands gripping her face and forcing her to look at him. 

“Look at me Rey!” she shook her head but he tightened his hold on her until she complied. She reluctantly turned her eyes to his. His gaze was feral, wild brown eyes narrowed completely on hers. “Don’t be afraid of me!” he said through gritted teeth. Rey was unsure if she was supposed to respond and warily watched him. Her body was locked up and refused to do anything she commanded. 

After a moment passed He closed his eyes and drew in a long breath, obviously attempting to reign in the worst of his temper. A few deep breaths later, she could see the tension visibly leave him. His breathing steadied and he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. It took everything in Rey’s will power to hold still and let it happen. Which, obviously greatly pleased her captor. He laughed contently and brought a hand up to stroke her hair. 

“That’s my pretty girl,” He said as he rubbed his head along the side of her face and then lowered it down by her neck. He inhaled deeply before a beeping jolted them both out of the strange moment that passed. He gave her one last nuzzle before he stood up. He glanced down at his watch and smiled at Rey. “It’s time for lunch. You must be so hungry right about now. Don’t worry, I made your favorite!” He said grinning at her and ducked out the door.

His pervasive presence gone, Rey immediately jumped out of the bed and searched for a way out. Her body felt like it had finally started to regain its use once more. No wonder, with the amount of adrenaline coursing through her system at the moment. 

Quickly making a perimeter around the room, she scanned the walls and felt for anything that might resemble an opening. Not a minute later, her inspection of the room turned out to be dismal as she had feared. Realizing that there were no doors and no windows, Rey clenched her teeth trying not to focus on how grim her immediate situation was. She brought her hands to her eyes hoping the action would hold back the tears she could feel brimming as she heard his footsteps coming. The door swung open. He was there holding a bowl of steaming soup on a tray next to some fluffy loaves of bread. The delicious scent momentarily pulled her out of her terror. Her mouth watered but she’d be damned if she ate anything this psycho offered her. He set it on the round table in the corner, quickly arranging the cutlery and napkins to his liking. He even brought out a place mat. 

“Come here, Rey,” He said pulling out a chair, looking expectant. Rey shook her head and backed away. 

“Rey, if you don’t come, I’ll just drag you over here and make sure you eat every last drop.” 

Rey stared at him and refused to move. He pinched the bridge of his nose and drew a long sigh. His eyes flicked to her and he quickly stomped over to her. Rey backpedaled and stumbled over a rug. She tried to right herself and bolt around him but he was there in an instant, effortlessly looping his massive arms around her and hauling her off her feet. Rey screeched, and thrashed but it was like hitting a brick wall. 

“Shhhh Rey. You’re okay,” he said as he settled himself onto the seat and pulled her into his lap. He held her until she stilled, then placed a soft kiss on her temple. 

“Alright sweetheart, it’s time to eat. Come on,” he said nudging the spoon towards her.   
Rey hesitantly picked it up and held it over the bowl, trying to command her body to do this simple task. Why was it so difficult to move? She obviously must have been taking too much time because he sighed again. She shivered when she felt his hot breath on her neck.

“Rey, if you can’t do it then I’ll help you,” he said as his hand wrapped around her own. Rey shook her head and pulled her hand out of his and dipped it into the bowl quickly bringing it into her mouth. 

She winced when it scalded her tongue and she had no idea what it actually tasted like as she was too focused on the man behind her humming in approval.   
She continued to mechanically shovel it in and was half way through the bowl when she felt like her throat closed up. She dropped the spoon and felt saliva pooling her mouth. 

“Rey?”

Without warning Rey, turned over the side of the chair and retched. All of the soup and whatever else had been in her stomach came up and landed in a disgusting pile already soaking into the fiber of the carpet. Her body continued to heave as she dropped heavily onto the floor. Apparently her body wasn’t satisfied until nothing but watery bile came up. 

“Oh, Rey. Are you okay, Sweetheart?” He said, rubbing her back gently. She finally stopped and sat back on her heels refusing to look at him.   
“I’ll clean it up and get you medicine to make your stomach feel better. I’ll be right back.” 

He rushed out of the room leaving the door wide open.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been months but here's an update for all who are still reading this! xD

Rey held her breath, body as still as she could muster as another creak of old floorboards echoed in the distance. She’d been hidden beside this bookcase for what felt like forever but was impossible to determine. Barely concealed in the shadow the bookcase cast, she had yet to see him. Heard him, yes. Many times in fact as he continued to prowl through the house in his pursuit of her. She needed to move and find a new place soon. It was only a matter of time before he found her. She had tried to get her bearings, but this house was a maze. And whatever part she was in had very few windows. 

Another creak echoed this time further away and Rey took her chance. She darted across the vast hallway going deeper into the house. It had to be a mansion she realized by the sheer number of rooms she passed. 

A loud crash sounded behind her. Panicking, Rey turned into the first door beside her and ducked into the closet. She slid the door quietly behind her with trembling fingers. 

An eerie silence followed, her loud breathing so loud, she was sure he would be able to hear it regardless of where he was in the house. 

Something scraped along the wall, causing her to flinch. Quiet footsteps came closer and closer. At least she thought they were footsteps. She felt them more than heard them as they moved in her direction. Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest. 

The door creaked open. Rey covered her mouth to keep her from crying out. One step came closer and then another before it stopped. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she imagined it.

“Where did you go sweet, little Rey?” she heard him speak in a sing-songy voice, as if they were in the middle of a game. 

He probably was convinced it was. 

“Come out, come out wherever you are!”

Something scraped along the closet door. 

If Rey hadn’t already been covering her mouth he certainly would of heard her whimper. He was just outside the closet. The door leaned in, barely grazing her leg. He was pushing against it, she realized. He then moved to the other door beside her. The doors rocked against one another until they stilled. 

Then the sound moved away and out of the room. 

A moment passed. A few more. And Rey knew he was gone. At least for now. Tears streamed down her face. She quietly sobbed against the wall still hoping this was all a nightmare.

She couldn’t do this. Her nerves felt like they were a moments way of exploding. She had half a mind to just call out to him and end this suspense. Could she even truly escape?

She would never be rid of him. Something in her instinctively knew this. Perhaps he would even kill her. No one would know. Maybe he’d even done it before. Leia certainly had never mentioned having a son. 

_Leia._ She still couldn’t believe what she’d done.

Everything Rey had built over these last few months had collapsed in a moment. Simply because she refused to pay attention. More tears escaped when she realized she had never been hired for her ability. Of course she hadn’t been. 

Being foolishly optimistic really did have its consequences. Even from the start. It was just a ploy to draw Rey in closer so she would be easy to catch.

The worst of it all was the betrayal. It felt like a sinking stone in the pit of her stomach. 

Why? How could she do it?

Rey had looked up to Leia. And she just happened to be the supportive mother of the delusional man who was currently hunting her. 

Would anyone be looking for her? Notice she was missing? Finn and Poe would have no way of finding her. They certainly would have never suspected her boss being associated with her kidnapping. And to make matters worse, Leia had money. Lots of it. It wouldn’t take much for Rey to disappear forever in the clutches of her psychotic son. She didn't even want to think of what his reasons were of keeping her. 

She sobbed quietly hearing distant creaking throughout the house. 

No.

She would not stay here, curled up, pitying herself. She’d find a way out. She always did. She drew a long breath and released it slowly. 

A creak sounded above her. He must have went upstairs Rey mused. This would likely be her best chance. She sat up and slid the closet door silently open. Cautiously, she peered out, still fearing she would see his black eyes staring back at her.

Thankfully, she was alone. She crept out of the room and made her way down the hallway keeping her ears pricked for any sound of him. 

The Hallway was dark, with paintings of landscapes and magnificent beasts adorning the walls. It reminded her of a medieval castle. Several ornate statues made her jump more than once. In the dim light it was hard to be sure what the tall imposing figures were. She would wait to be sure it was indeed not a living, breathing sentry and then tentatively touch the surface. The cool feel of marble reassured her. 

Reaching the end of the hallway sat French doors casting sunlight from the outside. 

She tried the handle, fearing for a moment they would be locked. However, the door opened quietly. She quickly took stock of the room and nearly cried out in joy when she saw a small side door with trees just outside its window. She quietly trotted across the room, reining the impulse to sprint to it and taste her freedom.

A loud beeping screeched across the room.

She ducked into the coat closet on reflex backing behind the hanging coats to conceal her form. She peered over the rack to see where the sound was coming from. 

Did she trip an alarm? He would find her for sure! It was now or never. She took a step out of the coats but stilled when the alarm abruptly stopped. 

Her heart froze when she felt breath on the back of her neck.


	7. Chapter 7

“Gotcha…” A voice whispered low in her ear. 

Rey screamed and bolted through the clothes rack before a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her down onto the soft carpeting. The two fell in a tumble of coats, Dust rising like a cloud from the impact of the ancient garments. Rey writhed and kicked only temporarily dislodging him before he regained his grip on her. 

“God, you really are stronger than you look, sweetheart!” He chuckled. Rey shrieked again.

“Let go of me!” 

“Now there’s no reason to be a sore loser. I found you fair and square. You’re the one that went out of bounds.” 

Rey kicked her legs back against the coat rack, it fell hard on the man’s back. He collapsed heavily with a loud grunt. Rey pushed him off and leapt for the door. 

The handle was locked, of course it was.

With a frustrated cry, she rammed her elbow into the glass, but her blow merely bounced off. Was this glass bullet proof? 

The man scrambled to his feet, hellbent on recapturing her. Rey turned on her heels and sprinted back into the dark hallway. 

Her legs pumped as fast as they could go, sweat already beading on her forehead as fear flooded her system once more. His footsteps were right behind her, an exact echo of hers. Rey bit back the urge to see how close, fearing the moment would spell her demise. 

“Where are you going Rey?” He bellowed. 

Rey turned the corner of the hallway and darted into an open living space. There was not another door in sight, save for what had to be a closet. She only momentarily entertained the idea of hiding in there before he tore through the doorway. This was a dead end. 

 

Rey turned to face him holding her hands out to halt his approach. Surprisingly, he stopped. Tilting is head as he considered her gesture. After a moment passed, and neither moved he took another step forward. 

“Wait—Wait! Can’t we just talk about this?” Rey pleaded. 

He smirked as he looked down at her. 

“You’re the one who resorted to running, sweetheart. I was just following you.”

“Why?”

“Why chase you? Well that’s—”

“No. I don’t even know who you are. why are you doing all this?”

“Because you’re beautiful and…I wanted you…” He said taking another step forward. 

Indignation burned through Rey at his words. That was his reason? Because he thought she was _pretty_?"

“Well, I don’t want you or any of this!” A look of hurt flickered across his face before he quickly returned it to his impassive mask. 

“Now Rey—" he said reaching for her. 

“Don’t touch me!” she snapped, slipping out of his grasp. His eyebrows scrunched up in irritation. 

“Well then come here…” he growled. Rey stared back at him, resolutely ignoring his command. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists making himself appear somehow larger than he already was.

“Rey…I told you I wouldn’t use any ropes in my home but you are really testing my patience right now.”

Rey stopped moving when she backed up into a pillar. Her hands reached out to steady herself and stilled when she felt what had to be a vase. 

“Come here,” he tried once more, although softly this time.

Rey’s fingers wrapped around the vase as she tentatively stepped towards him. His eyebrows lifted in hopeful anticipation. Nodding encouragingly as she took another step in his direction. That was when she threw the vase. His guard down, It shattered on impact with his head. He cried in pain and wiped at the shards that glanced his eyes. Seizing the opportunity Rey ran past him out into the hallway. 

She hadn’t taken ten steps before she was tackled to the ground. The impact of the massive body on hers knocked the wind out of her. Gasping and wheezing in pitiful attempts to refill her lungs, she failed to make any movement as he subdued her. 

Rey kept shifting but she knew escape was futile. Her body quivering from exhaustion and exertion alike. 

“You’re not going anywhere darling,” he snarled as he held her arms still. 

Was he going to beat her? He sounded so angry. 

Something dripped onto her cheek, followed by successive dripping. A glance in her periphery saw red as the drops slid down her face. He was bleeding, the blood flowing freely from a gash on his cheek. 

“Why must you do this? Make things so difficult?” he said, tightening his grip on her wrists. Rey cried out from the pressure, her eyes stinging with tears. He stared at her for a long moment before sighing and loosening his hold on her. 

“Just stop…fighting me so much sweetheart,” He leaned his head next to hers and spoke lowly in her ear. “I love you.” Rey shivered at his declaration, praying for this moment to end. 

Rey could feel the moment his coiled muscles relax and melt heavily on top of hers. He hummed to himself before pulling her closer to his chest. His breathing grew heavier, his hands began to wander as his mood once again dramatically changed. Rey tried to summon the courage to move but it evaded her like wisps of smoke slipping through her fingers. She froze when he let out a little moan and started to rub his face along her neck. 

A loud sneeze echoed in the small room. Rey squeaked at the sudden action. The man sniffed a couple times before looking back down at her. 

“God you're dusty… No wonder, it’s been a while since we dusted this section of the house. Just never got to that part of the list I suppose,” he chuckled to himself in amusement. Rey shivered. There was something she was clearly missing on his inside joke to understand why he found it so funny. He began wiping some of the larger chunks of dust away before sighing in defeat when he touch the blood spots soaking into her shirt. 

“Hmm…It’s no use. You’re going to need a bath.” He pulled her up into a sitting position and had her face him as he continued his inspection. "We’ll use the one in my room. It has a really large tub, with jets so both of us—"

Rey screeched and flailed, swinging her hands at his face to get him to release her. He expected them to bathe together?!

He held her firm and managed to dodge the worst of her onslaught. Realizing her attempts were completely futile she bit his shoulder. Hard. He grunted in pain but continued to hold her as he jarred his shoulder violently. Her teeth clicked together when he pulled his shoulder free and out of range. As a last resort she screamed. Loud and long, her throat burned from the sheer volume. He looked panicked and began cooing at her in an attempt to reason with her. 

“Rey, calm down! Shhh sweetheart.”

“Damn it Ben, I told you to give her some space.”

Both halted their struggle and turned to see Leia standing in the open door way with her arms crossed, mouth pressed in a grim line. Her cold eyes glanced briefly at her son before locking with Rey’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Mommy is back! ;p
> 
> Thank you all for your lovely comment last chapter! They made my day :)


	8. Chapter 8

“Mother!” Ben yelps in surprise. Bolting up with Rey still firmly in his grasp giving her whiplash. “You said you wouldn’t be back for a few days.”

“And that gives you free reign to destroy the vases in my house?” she says with a cocked brow. Ben clears his throat and looks at the ground, looking impossibly small for such a large man. Leia’s focus returns to Rey, still firmly clasped in her son’s arms. 

“Rey, you look terrible,” Leia says casually as if they were having a conversation in her office. As if she hadn’t aided her son in kidnapping her. Rey gaped and finally choked out a response. 

“H-How could you do this to me?” Rey pleaded. Leia looked nonplussed and met Rey’s tearful gaze. 

“You’ll have to be more specific dear.”

“You betrayed me—And helped this stalker kidnap me!” A new wave of tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’ve been nothing but loyal to you!”

“That’s precisely why I like you. You’re loyal to a fault, a very admiral trait that’s rare to find these days.”

“You can’t seriously think this is okay, Leia.” 

Leia smiled warmly. “Ah, you’re finally calling me Leia now. It’s about time.” She analyzed Rey’s disheveled form once more, disgust clearly written on her features. “Ben mentioned something about a bath?”

“No! no, absolutely not!” Rey jerked in Ben’s hold, but he held her firm, concern etched on his brow as he kept staring at her. 

“Now Rey, you should know me better by now. That I absolutely cannot stand filth. Especially in my house.”

“I will not bathe with your psychotic son!” she snarled. Ben looked like he was starting to get upset. 

“I’ll tell you what Rey. You can take a shower all by yourself—” She held up a hand to stop Ben’s protests. “But no trying any funny stuff or attempt to escape. Otherwise Ben will have to sit in and bathe you. And know this, I only extend leniency once, break this trust and it will not be granted again, understand?” 

Rey nodded with tear filled eyes. 

“Good. Ben, show her to her room and then we’ll all sit down to a nice meal and discuss her future here,” Leia said as she turned to leave. “And for God’s sake Ben, _attempt_ to give her some space.” She then disappeared down the hallway. Ben released her and the two stood awkwardly in silence. Feeling the weight of his imploring stare, Rey resolutely turned from him and focused on the intricacies of the Persian rug they were currently standing on. 

Ben reached for her hand and Rey jerked it back. “Stop taking my hand!”

He flinched at the vitriol in her tone. When he stepped towards her again and she evaded him once more he glowered down at her. “I’m going to show you to your room.”

“I can follow just fine. You don’t need to touch me,” she seethed. Ben’s eyebrows furrowed and for a fleeting moment he looked like he was going to simply pick her up and toss her over his shoulder. He looked away from her inhaling a deep breath and his face visibly relaxed. Without another word he turned down the hall with his eyes still warily locked on her. When she didn’t immediately follow he motioned at her with his hand to come, tapping his other against his thigh impatiently. She reluctantly obeyed and trailed after him as he led her down the dark corridor. 

The trek with him was maddening. If she let the gap between them even breach a normal distance he would stop and wait for her to come into his bubble before continuing. Resolutely refusing her need for the space she desired. His fingers continued to twitch at his side, no doubt ready to snag her should she choose to bolt. 

Rey knew better though. She knew Leia meant what she said. 

They wandered through the maze of hallways until they reached an ornately carved door. Rey had long given up trying to memorize the route. In her mind it was just jumble of confusing twists and turns. The door opened with a quiet creak, stepping aside he motioned for her to go through first. Rey darted inside, wary of turning her back to him but she had few options. The door clicked shut and he walked past her to what she suspected be the bathroom. She barely had time to take in her surroundings as she followed closely on his heels, eager for the promise to have a moment to herself. 

The bathroom was beautiful, looking like something a queen would use with its high vaulted ceilings and the glimmer on every surface. The floor was covered in pink and white marble and the sinks and shower were adorned with brushed nickel faucets. He opened a glass door and motioned for her to come to him.   
Rey quietly crept up beside him hesitantly focusing on what he was pointing to. 

“This lever here controls the hot and the cold and your shampoo and Conditioner are on that shelf there. You won’t need to use as much as you usually do at home, since this has higher quality ingredients.” Rey nodded dumbly staring at the labels on the bottles. “Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’m fine,” Rey whispered. He continued to stare at her while she resolutely ignored him hoping that he would take his leave any time now. 

“You’re so beautiful, Rey,” he said reaching for her face, his fingers gently grazing across her cheek. Rey shivered at the contact leaning away from him. 

“Can I brush you hair?” He asked hopefully. 

Rey shook her head finally meeting his eyes. 

“Why not? You always brush your hair before you shower,” he pleaded. 

Rey didn't even want to think of how he knew that intimate part of her daily routine.

“I don’t feel like it today, I just want to shower.” Rey turned to the counter and grabbed a fluffy towel hoping he would take the hint to leave. He didn’t. 

“But it’s healthier to brush your hair before you shower.” He joined her by the counter and pulled a brush from the drawer. He cornered her by the wall bringing the brush into her line of sight. It really was a beautiful brush. Sleek and carved from a cherry red wood with two eagles engraved on the top. The bristles were a dark brown and packed tightly together to give it a soft appearance. “Come on sweetheart. It will relax you,” He said bringing the brush through the ends of her hair. 

“No! Get away from me!” Rey screeched as she pushed him away. He jolted back from the impact, the brush clattering to the floor. It spun in slow circles on the polished floor until it stilled. His jaw ticked as he stared down at the brush in silence, a thunderous scowl forming on his brow. 

“Fine!” His feral eyes flicked to her and then he snarled before he kicked the brush across the floor and slammed the door shut on his way out. The reverberations making everything not nailed down rattle and sway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments! They are my life's blood :)


	9. Chapter 9

Rey has no idea how long she’s been under the hot spray of the shower. Her thoughts altogether lost in the thick rivulets of water cascading down on her. It’s certainly longer than the twenty minutes she’d have at her home before the water would turn frigid. She imagines a house such as this has an endless supply of hot water. She was at least going to take advantage of the convenience. 

She peeked outside the steamy shower door and was relieved to see the bathroom door still shut with the small end table braced against it. She released the breath she’d been holding and leaned her head back against the wall. She’d lost track of how many times she checked to see the door remained shut. It didn’t matter though, nothing would give her a piece of mind when she knew she was being held against her will by a psychotic man and his equally psychotic mother. 

The time to herself was a much needed reprieve. It gave her heart a chance to beat at its normal rhythm rather than attempting to shatter her rib cage with its hummingbird rhythm. For a moment it felt like she was simply showering in a fancy hotel. Something she had often dreamed about, staying at fancy resorts in faraway lands. It was a wonderful fantasy to indulge in rather than accept that outside that door her perpetual nightmare was waiting for her. She needed to find a means to escape and running clearly was not the solution. She drew a long sigh. She’d have to bide her time for the right opportunity, especially with Leia here. 

As much as she was terrified of this new side of Leia she wasn’t sure if she’d provide some sort of protection from her son. 

Or indulge his _wishes._

It was hard to know either way, now that Leia was practically a stranger. She dreaded going to sit at a table with those two and pretend at having a civilized conversation. Like it was just a normal dinner where a son brought home his girlfriend to meet the family. Not discussing your personal rules of confinement. Knowing Leia's proclivities, she would probably have to sign a contract before the evening was through. 

Resigned, she turned the water off and stepped out onto the plush mat, wrapping herself in her towel. A thick fog clung heavily in the air, She could barely back out the dim outline of the door. She must have been in here longer than she thought.

Once She was dry she reached for her clothes. Her very dirty clothes. 

_Shit._

Rey clutched her head and groaned. What the hell was she supposed to do?

Was he still angry from their conversation before? She approached the door cautiously pulling aside the end table and wrapped her hand around the handle. 

The room was dark, only faint light streamed through the side window curtains. This whole family must have night vision she mused. With their clear tastes for a dark house. 

“Uh, Hello?” She called out tentatively when she didn’t immediately see him like she expected. She really didn’t want to be caught around him in nothing but a towel, her options however, were quite limited. She took a step outside but immediately halted when his hulking figure stood up from the settee in the corner. He must have been there the whole time watching her. Shrouded in the shadows. 

It was unsettling how still he could be. 

He approached her quickly and she backed behind the bathroom door keeping it as shield between them. 

He stared down at her with an eyebrow raised. “Yes?” He drawled. It seemed he was still cross with her then. She wasn’t sure if that would help her current situation or not. Perhaps, he would be less inclined to be…demonstrative. 

This was humiliating enough just standing before him in _nothing but a towel_ , let alone having to ask a favor. “Um…I—”

She could tell the moment it set in on his face of her current predicament. “Is there something you need Rey?” He crooned. Like a light switch his mood changed once more. 

His eyes sparkled as he stood there staring down on her, his lips curving into something positively wolfish. Rey shivered. This certainly didn’t bode well. 

He pushed the door gently aside. The movement played like it was in slow motion and yet Rey could barely react when he stepped towards her. She instinctively back peddled, clutching her towel tightly around her. In the span of a moment he had his body pressed against hers, the hard planes of his body caging her in. Nowhere to go, Rey shot her hands out in an attempt to halt his movement but he was too close to make the movement effective. Her back hit the wall and like glue he followed her, humming as there bodies melded to one another. Lip quivering, Rey pushed at him in another futile effort. He stood there for a moment, relishing in the feeling of her. His body was like a furnace, feeling even hotter than the scalding shower she took. 

“No, please stop, I just need some clothes—”

“Shhhh. I know. I can get them for you,” he whispered softly against the shell of her ear.

He leaned down her body and Rey whimpered, her muscles quivering in fear with nothing between them but a towel. His fingers skimmed the side of her thigh before gently touching her toes. His touch vanished then and Rey stopped breathing afraid to look at where he would take his wandering hands next. In a moment he towered before her and brought the brush back into view. 

“Let me brush your hair first, Rey. You should never neglect your habits.” He playfully waggled the brush to accentuate his point. 

He gently took her hand and stepped backwards guiding her to follow. “Come on and be a good girl,” he crooned. Her legs felt like they were an autopilot, following his tugging. 

He brought her over to a stool in the corner of the bathroom and pushed her gently into it. He swiped a towel from the counter and brought it under his knees as he knelt behind her. He looked positively giddy as he began brushing the ends of her hair, humming to himself as the hair follicles separated easily. 

“I’m glad I’m finally able to get the hair products your hair needs. It had been looking so dry lately especially since you’ve been using that cheap brand from your corner market,” he stopped and ran his fingers through her hair and Rey could see him smile and nod to himself in the mirror’s reflection. “Yes, much better. See Rey? You’re already doing better under my care.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to be here,” she whispered. 

He clicked his tongue coming across a particularly large snarl in her hair. “Typical of you Rey. You are always so stubborn when you try something new. Never willing to give it a chance.” He resorted to using his fingers to break the tangled hairs apart as the brush was not working. “Why do you think your life hasn’t changed at all in the last three years. Same friends, same dead end job, you even read the same books. You’re life didn’t change until I helped you. And look at you. Became an executive assistant and doubled your earnings.”

Rey scoffed. “None of that was real! I didn’t do anything save for falling into a trap set by you and your mother.”

His fingers finally broke through the tangled hair, gliding easily through the strands like water. 

“That’s not necessarily true,” he set the brush aside and placed his hands on her bare shoulders. “Now let’s get you dressed,” he said vibrating with excitement. Rey’s stomach dropped. 

Rey bolted up keeping her towel carefully wrapped around her and faced him trying to utter a response but the words escaped her. 

He stared down at her fondly. He bent down to kiss her forehead wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her in place. He lingered, his moist lips nibbling her damp skin, while his hand massaged her hip through the towel. 

He pulled away from her after one last kiss, putting an errant strand of hair behind her ear.  
“I’ll leave your clothes on your bed.”

And like a spring breeze he was gone, the heat and tension clinging to his heels. and then Rey stood alone in the cold bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next is dinner with the family. At least Rey can look forward to some tasty food! xD


End file.
